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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28232214">Sleepover</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeutchRemy/pseuds/DeutchRemy'>DeutchRemy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stranger Things (TV 2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:28:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,736</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28232214</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeutchRemy/pseuds/DeutchRemy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Set two weeks after the closing of the Gate.  El, still recovering from her ordeal, gets hella homesick while staying the night at Joyce's.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eleven | Jane Hopper &amp; Jim "Chief" Hopper, Joyce Byers &amp; Eleven | Jane Hopper, Joyce Byers/Jim "Chief" Hopper, Will Byers &amp; Eleven | Jane Hopper</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Partly inspired by CaffinatedCollectorDuck's "The Rocking Chair", and partially by my own childhood experiences with sleepovers.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Joyce opens her front door to a chilly-looking Hopper and El, the former with a blue backpack slung over his left shoulder.  </p><p>“Hey, guys!  C’mon in, it’s freezing out there.”  She bounces up and down on the balls of her feet and ushers the man and his surrogate daughter inside.  “You excited to sleep over, sweetie?”</p><p>El hesitates before giving the woman a small smile and softly responding “yes.  thank you.”</p><p>“Thanks so much for watching her, Joyce.  You’re a lifesaver.”</p><p>“You know I’m happy to do it, Hop.  Will’s excited.  He’s got the movies all picked out for tonight.”  Joyce beams as she takes in the curly-haired girl in front of her.  She looks much better than she did two weeks ago, when her hair was slicked back and her face was streaked with blood and she slept for 14 hours straight.</p><p>Still, there’s a tiredness in her eyes that indicates that El hasn’t fully recovered from her ordeal.  Neither has Will.</p><p>“Where do you wanna sleep, honey?  You can sleep on the couch, or Will can sleep on the couch and you can sleep in his bed, or you can sleep in my bed with me.  Your choice.”</p><p>Hopper isn’t fond of the idea of El sleeping in a boy’s sheets so he’s glad when she replies softly “with you.”</p><p>There’s the sound of a toilet flushing and water running in the bathroom, then Will steps out into the hallway.  He walks towards the trio but stops about ten feet away, regarding the small girl pensively, a bit apprehensive.  She looks at him just as hesitantly.</p><p>“Um, hi, Elev-I mean, El.”</p><p>“…hi.”</p><p>The exchange is awkward at best, and it’s then that Joyce realizes that Will and El have never officially met outside of the Upside Down.</p><p>“Will, honey, why don’t you show El the drawings you’re working on?”  She suggests before placing her hand lightly on Hopper’s forearm.  “Come put her backpack in my room while the kids get acquainted.”</p><p>El glances up at Hopper and he pats her back and uses the tips of his fingers to usher her gently towards Will.</p><p>“Go on.  I’ll be right down the hall.”</p><p>“okay.”  She moves slowly towards Will and once the two kids seem moderately comfortable with one another Hop lets Joyce pull him down the hall and into her room.</p><p>“How is she?”</p><p>“About 70%.  She’s been really tired.  Sleeps a lot.  Had a fever the night before last but it resolved on its own, so not really sure what that was about.  I’ve banned her completely from using her powers, at least until she’s fully recovered.”</p><p>“Probably a good idea.”</p><p>“How’s Will?”</p><p>“Except for the wound on his side that’s still healing, I’d say he’s back to his old self.  Let’s say he’s at 90%.  I mean, he went through a lot but he didn’t expend anywhere near the same amount of energy as El did.  To be honest, I’m not even sure how much of it he remembers.”  She sits at the foot of the bed.  “How’s your sister?”</p><p>“I spoke with my brother in law about an hour ago.  The stroke was mild but she still may have damage to her cognitive function.  Hopefully by the time I get there they’ll be done with the tests.”</p><p>“A stroke at 41.”  Joyce shakes her head, not wanting to believe it.</p><p>“She’s overweight.”  Hopper scratches his head.  “Smokes like a chimney and drinks like a fish.”</p><p>“If that’s not a good reason to quit smoking, I don’t know what is.”</p><p>“Yeah, I know.  I’ve been trying to cut back anyway.  For El.  It ain’t easy, though.”</p><p>“After what we’ve been through?  You can say that again.  Set the backpack down, Hop.”</p><p>“Oh, right.”  He swings the blue bag off of his shoulder and plops it down on the mattress, unzipping it.  “Uh, sometimes she wets the bed, so I packed a few old towels to put under her at night, just in case.  And two sets of pajamas and extra undies for the same reason.”  He sighs.  “She had been doing really well - she was having maybe…one accident a month.  Then all the trauma with the gate and she’s wet the bed at least five times in the past two weeks.”</p><p>She’s definitely having a rougher go of it than Will is, Joyce thinks to herself, absentmindedly reaching up and grasping Hopper’s forearm, squeezing it gently.</p><p>“Poor baby.  Does she sleep on towels at home?”</p><p>“No.  I don’t mind washing the sheets.  It’s just…not polite to let your kid pee in someone else’s bed.”</p><p>Joyce laughs out loud.  “Hop, after all we’ve been through and seen, you think I care about a bit of pee in my bed?”</p><p>“Well, you haven’t seen how much of a mattress this kid can soak.”  Hopper smiles, any remaining tension between them evaporating.  He pulls out a teddy.  “Uh, this is Mr. Bear.  She won’t sleep without him.”</p><p>“Adorable.  And I love the name.”  She picks up the stuffed animal and plays with its ear, gazing at it thoughtfully before setting it back on the bed.</p><p>“Yeah, El named him.  She couldn’t think of anything else.”</p><p>Joyce looks at him.  “It’s a good name.  Simple.  She’s such a sweet girl, Hop.  You’ve done so well with her.”</p><p>“That means a lot, Joyce.  Really, it does.”  Hopper moves the backpack aside and sits down next to the brunette.  He squeezes her knee.  “How are you holding up, by the way?”  He asks softly.  It’s not lost on him that the last time they were in this room was not thirty minutes after Bob was killed.</p><p>Shit, Joyce thinks.  He’s being kind.  Nothing worse than a person being kind when you’re trying your hardest NOT to cry.  She had hoped the topic of Bob wouldn’t come up.  As callous as it sounds, it’s easier on her if everyone forgets the man ever existed.  She had intentionally shoved all pictures of him in her dresser prior to Hop’s arrival in the hopes that he would forget to bestow sympathy upon her.  </p><p>Damn this man for having a heart.</p><p>“You know, I - I have my ups and downs.”  She wills herself not to cry, and as it becomes more difficult she pushes herself up from the bed, hoping the sudden movement will distract her.  “We, uh, should make sure the kids are doing okay.”</p><p>“Yeah, and I really outta get going.”  Hopper stands and follows Joyce out of the room.</p><p>Will and El seem a bit more comfortable with each other; both are smiling as they sit on the floor with a mess of Will’s drawings splayed out in front of them, the TV on softly in the background.</p><p>Hop crouches down next to the pair and ruffles the girl’s hair.</p><p>“Whatcha guys up to?”  He asks.</p><p>“will is showing his drawings.”  El replies.</p><p>“Yeah?  Hey, these are great.”  Hopper comments, picking up one of the more intricate pictures.</p><p>“Thanks.”  Says Will, not looking up from the other drawing that he’s currently touching up with a bit of red marker.</p><p>Hop moves his hand down to El’s back and rubs between her shoulder blades.</p><p>“Alright, kiddo, I should be taking off.”</p><p>Joyce, watching from a few paces away, doesn’t miss the look of sadness that crosses the girl’s features that is quickly replaced with a brave face.</p><p>“You’re gonna be okay, yeah?”</p><p>El nods.</p><p>“You’re gonna be a good girl for Joyce, right?  And remember to eat everything on your plate, including your vegetables, okay?  And brush your teeth and make sure you pee before bed.”</p><p>“i do.”</p><p>“I know you do, just reminding you.”</p><p>“when will you be back?”</p><p>Hopper scratches his chin.  “Tomorrow evening.  That sound good?”</p><p>El ponders this for a moment before nodding.  “yes.  sound good.” </p><p>“Can I have a hug?”</p><p>El stands and embraces the man, hugging him tightly around the waist.  </p><p>“promise you be back tomorrow?”</p><p>“Yeah, kid, I promise.”  He plants a kiss on her temple.</p><p>“can i call?”</p><p>“Kid, you know it’s not safe.”</p><p>El’s eyes become damp but she blinks rapidly to clear them, her eyelashes making scritching sounds against the material of Hop’s coat.</p><p>“But you’ll be here with Joyce, and with Will and Jonathan, and they’re gonna look after you until I get back.  Okay?”  There’s a pause.  “El?”</p><p>“okay.”  She muffles the word into his coat.</p><p>“Love you, kid.” </p><p>“love you, too.”  Her arms squeeze around his waist impossibly tighter for a fraction of a second as he starts to move away, as if trying to anchor him to the spot, but she releases him before he has a chance to protest. </p><p>Joyce sees him to the door.</p><p>“She’s gonna be fine, Hop.”  The woman reassures, noticing the anxious look on his face.</p><p>“I know she’s in the best hands, I’m just…not too keen on the idea of leaving her now.  Not when she’s still feeling lousy.”</p><p>“You don’t really have a choice.  You can’t take her with you.”</p><p>“Okay, just…she gets tired real easy.  If you can, try to get her to bed by 8.  And tell her to drink plenty of fluids, just make sure she doesn’t drink anymore after 7ish.”</p><p>“I’m gonna take care of her like she was my own.  You have nothing to worry about.”</p><p>Hopper leans down and surprises both of them by kissing Joyce on the cheek.  “I owe you one.  I mean it.”</p><p>El feels a tightness in her throat as she watches through the window at the blazer backing out of the driveway.  She loves Joyce but right now, still tired and weak, she craves the familiarity of home and Hop, and wants nothing more than to crawl into her own bed and hibernate.</p><p>TBC...</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The rest of the day passes so slowly that El is sure the clock is broken.  When will it be tomorrow evening?  She wants to enjoy herself but she craves the cabin; the very place that slowly morphed into another prison for her over the summer is now the one place she wants to be.  She wants her bed.  She wants to lean against Hopper’s arm while they watch their TV shows together.  She finds herself rapidly blinking away tears multiple times over the course of the afternoon and has to fight the urge to just break down and cry.</p><p>She’s nervous when they sit down for dinner.  Unfamiliar with Joyce’s cooking, she feels a twinge of nausea when she first smells it.  The dish actually smells very good, but the anxiety she’s feeling makes her belly twist.  Fortunately the feeling passes after she takes some deep breaths through her nose and forces a few bites down.  She manages to clean her plate…almost.  Joyce reassures her she doesn’t have to eat anything she doesn’t want to, but she’s trying to be polite so she eats as much as she can.</p><p>The kids help Joyce do the dishes before the woman shoos them off to the couch.</p><p>“What do you wanna watch, El?”  Will asks, sorting through a stack of VHS tapes.  “We’ve got Star Wars, Halloween…”   </p><p>“Nothing scary, please!”  Joyce calls from the kitchen.</p><p>“Don’t worry, mom!”  Will answers.  “We’re gonna watch Star Wars.  That okay, El?”</p><p>El just shrugs.</p><p>“Have you seen Star Wars before?”</p><p>“no.”</p><p>“Okay, we’ll start with the first one, then.  I think you’ll like it.  Wait, hang on a second.”  He turns to shout into the kitchen.  “Mom, can we have popcorn?”</p><p>El’s stomach apparently wants to rebel again and churns at the thought.  She hopes Joyce says no.</p><p>“You guys just ate, baby.  Give your dinner some time to digest then maybe I’ll make you some.”</p><p>Will huffs but says nothing, instead turning his attention to the TV.  He flips it on then fiddles with the VHS box, dumping the black tape out and pushing it into the VCR.  He plops down onto the couch and sits cross-legged, eyes glued to the screen.  </p><p>El had hoped the movie would take her mind off of her current situation, but she winds up picking her nails throughout and wondering if Hop is still on the road or if he’s made it to Cleveland yet.  She hopes he’s driving carefully.</p><p>El notices that whenever Will shifts positions, he places a hand on his side and lets out a tiny, almost inaudible grunt.  She wants to ask him what’s wrong, but Hop has been teaching her about manners lately and doesn’t know if inquiring would be considered impolite.  So she lets it be and tries to focus on the movie. </p><p>***</p><p>“Alright, I think it’s time for bed, guys.  C’mon, TV off.”  Joyce announces as the end credits run.</p><p>“But we were gonna watch Empire Strikes Back…”  Will pouts.</p><p>“Baby, it’s after nine and El’s falling asleep.  She was supposed to be in bed an hour ago.”  The woman sits next to El and pets her hair.  “You ready for bed, sweetie?”</p><p>El nods, struggling to keep her eyes open.</p><p>“Then can I stay up and watch it?”  Will asks hopefully.  “I’m not tired.” </p><p>“No.  It’s bedtime for you, too.”</p><p>He groans but turns the TV off and follows his mom and El down the hall towards the bedrooms.</p><p>“‘Night, El.”  He says, disappearing into his room and shutting the door behind him.</p><p>“‘night.”</p><p>“We’re in here, sweetie.”  Joyce opens the door to her room.  “Remember?”</p><p>El remembers.  It’s where she spent the first night recovering after she closed the gate.  Her entire body had ached and she spent all night in Hop’s arms.  The man hadn’t slept a wink, and when El finally awoke some fourteen hours later, she noticed his eyes were red and puffy, as if he’d spent the entire night crying.</p><p>Looking at the bed, El hopes that Joyce can provide her with that same sense of security.  In spite of, or perhaps because of, the lack of affection she received her entire life, El has craved it ever since a stormy night in early spring when Hopper held her and rocked her back and forth on his lap.</p><p>“i remember.”  She replies quietly.</p><p>“You okay, sweetie?”  Joyce asks, noting the look of longing on the girl’s face.</p><p>El doesn’t want to make her worry, so she gives her a small smile and replies “okay.”</p><p>“Good.  Now, let’s get into our pajamas, okay?”  She opens El’s blue backpack and hands her the pajamas.  “Now, I’m gonna go to the bathroom to put my nightgown on, and you can change in h-“</p><p>“no.”</p><p>“No what, honey?”</p><p>“don’t go.”</p><p>“Don’t go to the bathroom?”  Then it clicks.  “Ohhhh…you don’t wanna be alone in here?”</p><p>El shakes her head.</p><p>“That’s okay, we can both change in here.”</p><p>El lets out a small sigh of relief.</p><p>****</p><p>Joyce awakens to the small form next to her shaking as she tries to control her sobs.</p><p>“El?  Sweetie?  What’s the matter?”  She asks, turning over and placing a hand on the girl’s shoulder.</p><p>“w-want to go home.”  El replies wetly.  </p><p>“Oh, honey, I know, but -“</p><p>“want m-my bed.  miss hop.”</p><p>“El, sweetie, you’re gonna see Hop tomorrow, okay?  It’s, uh…”  She glances at the clock on the nightstand.  “It’s already 3 AM.  That means it’s already tomorrow.  You think you can hang in there until this evening?”</p><p>El shakes her head, her hair making a scratching sound against the pillow.  Joyce sighs and rubs her back, massaging the tense muscles with the heel of her palm.</p><p>“we make breakfast t-together.”</p><p>“Is that what’s got you so upset, baby?  You don’t wanna have breakfast without your da-without Hop?”</p><p>A loud sob is forced from the girl, effectively answering Joyce’s question.</p><p>“Tell you what - how about in the morning we make breakfast together, and we’ll save some for Hop to eat when he comes to pick you up?  That sound like a good idea?”</p><p>El continues to cry but nods her head anyway, which is at the very least a promising sign.</p><p>“Well it sounds like a good idea to me, too, so that’s what we’re gonna do.  Now, do you think you can get back to sleep, or should we get up now and watch a movie until it’s time to make breakfast?” </p><p>El shrugs.  Joyce continues rubbing her back.</p><p>“That’s okay.  We’ll stay in here.  Try to sleep, okay?”</p><p>TBC</p>
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